Walking Smarter and Faster

One of the things I love about walking for fitness is that it's accessible: almost anyone can do it, and it doesn't cost a lot. I was a little concerned, then, when I heard about this study, which suggests that the best way to lose belly fat is through high-intensity exercise. To me, that sounds like other forms of exercise I don't enjoy: hitting the gym to lift weights, running, swimming, etc. And boy, I really do not like running. In reading the article, though, there's some good news: vigorous exercise doesn't necessarily mean doing those things I dread. Instead, the way to lose belly fat is to increase the intensity of the exercise, in the words of the article by "walking or jogging more vigorously on some days of the week."

As part of the training I do for half-marathons, I've discovered the benefits of intervals, which are basically the kind of higher intensity activity they're talking about here. Essentially, I walk faster for periods of time during my walk. For example, I'll start with fartleks: walking faster until I get to some point in the distance like a street light or a driveway, resuming my previous speed until my heart rate returns to normal, then repeating the process. After a few weeks of that, I'll do intervals, where I walk fast for a minute, then slower, then repeat. Over time, I can work up to longer periods of walking fast (2 minutes, say) and shorter periods of walking normally.

It's amazing how much of a difference intervals can make, both in terms of being a better workout and increasing my level of fitness (I really believed it's helped to improve my race times). So this study is actually good news for us walkers. It means that we can continue to do the form of exercise we love, and we can become more fit by adding some intervals into our walking routine. So let's keep walking, and do it a little faster from time to time. Before long, it sounds like we'll be seeing the benefits in a tangible way.

Misery, Meet Company

I'm feeling a little guilty these days. See, I heard on the news that Oprah had gained weight, and my first reaction wasn't sympathy. Instead, I was relieved. She's been through her weight struggles over the years, and she's had the disadvantage of fighting the battles publicly. I don't envy her that. But the fact that someone who's worked so hard and come so far can continue to struggle, well, I confess that hearing about that is helpful to me. It means I'm not the only one.

I've written here before about my struggles with my weight, and the fact that maintenance is a much harder concept than I would ever have imagined. Moderation? Feels like a fairy tale to me. In my opinion, maintaining weight is almost as difficult as, and maybe harder than, losing weight in the first place. It's the long term that's the problem for me, and for others. It's the concept of a "healthy lifestyle" that proves easier in theory than it can ever be in practice. And it's the issue of living in the real world, where temptations abound, excuses are everywhere, and reasons to fail are too numerous to count.

I might hear Oprah's news and be depressed. Instead, I'm encouraged. If it can happen to her, with her legion of chefs and personal trainers, the fact that it happens to me doesn't seem so surprising. And it also isn't insurmountable. Difficult, frustrating, and at times discouraging. But being healthy, lifelong ambition though it may be, is achievable. No matter who we are.